#Essentially very over protective of themselves. This will be important for later

[glitterhoof]

anyways a doodle i drew of a scene me and my scene partner had written in two days

[planariaareneat]

How The Nocturnal Bottleneck and Nipples Make Us Human

Almost every post here considers what humans do have, really. It’s a little tiring; realistically every world has its harsh environments and vicious species and a sophont to match. We probably wouldn’t be unique for our adaptability or our persistence or even adrenaline

But our evolution is fucked up as hell, to put it lightly.

Mammals went through what’s been dubbed the nocturnal bottleneck essentially since the start of the mesozoic right up until the Cretaceous ended the archosaur’s exclusive hold over the daylight. We lost a lot of things from every mammal spending most of its time in either a cramped, suffocating burrow or scrounging around in the faint hours of nighttime. Our blood cells lost their nuclei to hold more oxygen while we spent time deep underground, we lost protections against ultraviolet rays in our skin and eyes, we can’t even repair our own DNA using the light of the sun. Most aliens probably wouldn’t have such traits unless their evolution followed a very similar path to ours. They’d be able to see ultraviolet and wouldn’t have to worry about sunburn and all the wonderful privileges essentially all fish, birds, amphibians, and reptiles enjoy as we speak. 

There’s also what we gained from spending so much time in the dark.

Brown fat is only found in mammals, it’s a special type of fat which bear cells with several oil droplets and are utterly jammed with mitochondria. This lets it make heat, a lot of it, fast. We don’t even need to shiver to induce this heat generation from brown adipose tissue - factor in our downright hyperactive mitochondria, and we can warm up quickly. Sure, it doesn’t have too much use in adult humans, but it keeps our infants warm and still provides a little boost the whole run we have in this universe.

Unless aliens also went through a time where their small ancestors had to face cold nights, they’d have to produce heat the old fashioned way when chilled. Aliens might have to shiver the whole time they’re in a cold room while the human watches in confusion, quite literally unshaken, and wonders if the room is a lot colder than the thermostat set to 60 says. The aliens stare at their companion in confusion, it’s just a normal temperature to shiver at after all, how is the human sitting so still?

Our small ancestors spending all their time out foraging at night is also why we have such a good sense of touch, smell, and hearing. They were more important senses than vision (we’re lucky to have even redeveloped basic color vision, frankly) at the time and place and simply ended up continuing to serve us well. Birds and reptiles rarely have acute senses of smell and the latter especially are lucky to have acute hearing, and birds rarely have impeccable hearing themselves either. Our skin is free of scales and honed to sensitivity, and our external ears and complicated ear bones provide an immense range of hearing (from 20 all the way to 17,000 hertz!).

Aliens might not be able to pin down the chirp of a cricket or the light click of a lock being picked. The human might be the only one on board a ship that can pick out the finer sounds of the engine’s constant thrum and know the critical difference between when everything is fine and when something is wrong. The human could probably pick out the sounds of an approaching enemy’s careless footsteps - they’re only as light enough for *them* to stop hearing them, after all - and be the one to see the horrified expression (well, more on that later) on their face when we get the drop on them in spite of their perceived stealth. 

But perhaps the most versatile, convoluted, amazing, and utterly unique trait we have is right on your face this instant. Lips.

Lips in most animals are a simple seal to hold in the mouth’s moisture and protect the teeth, even if they’re supple they’re NEVER muscular except in mammals, and we have only one thing to thank for it; milk and nipples. Lips evolved exclusively to allow babies to suckle, it required a vacuum to be created in the mouth, and with no other animal having anything like a nipple it never happened in other animals. Many animals make milk, to be frank, but no other animal has nipples.

Your cheeks and lips are a marvel among tetrapods, no other animal can suck like mammals can. Aliens wouldn’t have straws or even be able to sip from the edge of a glass, they’d have to have a proboscis or simply tilt the whole thing back. Aliens likely won’t have woodwind instruments or balloons you can blow into. We take so much about our lips for granted. Hell, our muscular faces are vital for expressions, we’re probably absolute facial contortionists among a cast of creatures with mandibles and beaks and expressionless scaly maws. Aliens might find us ridiculously easy to read, if anything, compared to their own kind (all the better to deceive them) - or perhaps they’d find us hard to decipher anyways, with our lack of color-changing skin or erectable crests of bright feathers. Baring teeth might not be seen as a sign of aggression in most of the universe, smiling would be all too distinctly human. 

Perhaps with how infectious we are sometimes, that’s what we’d contribute to the universe; others might have to make do with opening their mouths just enough to show their teeth or splaying their innumerable mouthparts with just the right curve, but perhaps we’d teach the galaxy to smile, one ally at a time. 

Wouldn’t that be amazing?

[feminismisstillahatemovement]

how are men victims when men are straight up so powerful, women feel inferior next to them

Well, first off, thanks for the compliment.

What you describe is actually part of how we got where we are today, because just as men evolved to be bigger and stronger than women, so we too evolved to put the safety of women (and children) before men. That's just how the human race adapted to best survive.

But women did not evolve to put the safety and well-being of men before their own. This turns out to be very important, so keep that in mind, because we'll be coming back to it later.

Once (a minority of) women began demanding the vote, more than a hundred years ago now, men - seeking to aid women in whatever way they could - gave into their demands, and women became more and more involved in political changes and lawmaking over the following decades. This resulted in laws that favored and gave special provisions and protections to women, all in the name of "equality", and usually at the expense of men, who, as before, went along with it because we are hardwired to want to aid and protect women over men.

With the rise of the second wave of feminists, around the turn of the 1970s, this massively intensified, leading to a relentless demonizing of one half of the human race as a class of, well... demons, essentially, and perpetual demands for more aid and special advantages for women. Any man who pointed out that this was not in any way "equal" treatment was tarred and feathered as a "misogynist" and never heard from again. The Marxists infiltrated feminism and the feminists infiltrated the courts, the media and the political and education system, and they all promoted the hell out of this agenda, and women en masse went along with it because of all the free stuff it promised them, and felt no innate drive to see that the other half of humanity was being cared for and treated as well and fairly as themselves.

So now, 50 years on, we live in an age in which 80% of the homeless are men, 80% of the suicides are men, and 94% of all workplace deaths are men. And no-one cares. Universities all across the western world are now 60/40 female/male, and it's common corporate business practice to refuse to hire people for a job simply on the grounds of them being white-skinned and/or male.

So, while I would not want to label men as a class "victims" (the pursuit of victimhood as a political goal and path to success and popularity is another of the biggest problems of today, and another one which likely attained such prominence due to women's increased involvement in political discourse), it's certainly true that men are now systemically disadvantaged in many ways that women are not, and women as a class have many rights, privileges and special protections written into law to advantage them, while men have none.

[starlostlix]

Moriarty the Patriot and Brotherhood

(Adam and Sam Whiteley vs The Holmes Brothers vs The Moriarty Brothers)

[that's a lot of brothers, especially since I don't even have a brother. So, another analysis! This is a long one that's been in my drafts for ages but since my exams are over I can reread and post it lmao]

Brotherhood is a key theme of Moriarty the Patriot, with many examples in the story. Some are quite similar, some are kind of different (looking at you Holmes brothers) but all are important.

First to talk about the slight outlier, the Holmes brothers. Whilst many of the other examples of brotherhood show close and caring dynamics among family, the Holmes brothers seem not only very distant but in conflict with one another. Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes live very different lives. The elder is a close associate of Queen Victoria and is, essentially, 'the government'. He has huge power over the empire's inner workings, enough to set up secret divisions like MI6. He speaks with a stereotypical 'posh' accent used by the nobility and lives much like the nobility in some ways. Sherlock, however, is a consulting detective who struggles to pay rent, struggles to clean, has to wait for cases and seems much more 'immature'. He also keeps his distinctive cockney accent - a reminder of his mother and working class upbringing. And my personal favourite distinction - Mycroft consistently wearing a bow tie compared to Sherlock's almost absolute refusal to do so (and him never doing up the buttons all the way to the top) - a detail that I just find really fun. Sherlock often accuses his brother of cosplaying nobility and the two seem to barely speak, and when they do there's clear animosity between the two. It may be because they feel so different from one another that they don't feel able to connect with one another now.

There is, however, hints that they are more similar than you first think. They both share the ability of good deduction and attention to detail. They both put an emphasis on protection of others - whether it be Mycroft protecting British Empire secrets (and his brother from.. women?) or Sherlock trying to protect Irene Adler from execution. And despite their animosity, it is clear that they do care for one another - Mycroft's reaction to Sherlock's 'd3ath' is a good example of this (he is clearly distraught but tries not to show it). They also both get themselves involved in the Moriarty plan (although that's less their fault and more the Moriarty brothers choosing them), and also both interact closely with the Moriarty family (sherlock with William and Mycroft with Albert).

Their definition of brotherhood is more strained in comparison to others, and for some people can be considered more realistic. To them, brotherhood can be both an annoyance or something nice depending on perspective. In particular, Mycroft seems to look out for Sherlock more than Sherlock does for Mycroft (or himself really). Whilst Mycroft sees brotherhood as another duty like his loyalty to the crown, Sherlock sees Mycroft's care for him as somewhat limited.

[Mycroft and Sherlock are really interesting in the way they interact and act about each other, like I read volume 15 recently and the funeral and Mycroft still drinking the tea that Miss Hudson recommended for when you feel down means he's still grieving 3 years later i'm so sad]

The Whiteley brothers are distinct in their difference in age. Adam is an adult, old enough to be an MP, whereas Sam is likely a teenager. This creates a dynamic where the elder is very very protective of the younger, especially due to Sam being wheelchair-bound. Part of the reason Adam is pushing for equality and changing the world for the better is so Sam can have a better life, with more accessibility like the park Adam designed. This is, of course, all the more tragic when Sam is murdered by Sturridge, an action that causes Adam to murder in revenge and give up on his own plans to make the world a better place. Adam, in response to Sam's death, says "What point is there to changing the world if you aren't here to enjoy it?" It is clear that to Adam, Sam's safety and enjoyment of life takes precedence over his own. No matter the reaction he would face from other MPs and the press and the house of lords, Adam would have kept going and made sure his bill was pushed through. For Sam. But that opportunity is taken from him, as Sam's life is taken too soon.

Brotherhood, for Adam, is protecting his brother and making the world a better place for him. Whilst we don't get to see Sam's point of view much, it is likely that care and support for Adam is Sam's idea of brotherhood. Even in death, all Adam can think about is making the world a better place and finding Sam again.

[this part feels devastating they actually make me so sad they are incredibly tragic]

Then we finally get to the main focus of the story - The Moriarty Brothers. What's most interesting about them to me is that, despite the fact that not all of them are blood related (as Albert isn't directly related to William or Louis), they seem to have the closest bond. One thing about brotherhood for them is that it's not limited to blood relation - it's about the bond they have as both family and accomplices. I have to stage this in 2 parts to explore this well - William, Louis and Albert, as well as William and Louis specifically.

1) William, Louis and Albert - Albert was the one that gave William and Louis a new home and a new life. He took them in when no one else would care for them, and supported their ideas of making the world better when no one else would. Their bond is defined by their shared desires, shared secrets and shared crimes (starting with the Moriarty household fire), rather than blood relations. And they're very protective and focused on helping one another. Albert being willing to go to prison for the Lord of Crime plans is proof of this. Albert is part of their chosen family which you could say also includes people like Moran and Fred. Albert is shown to care deeply for William in particular due to him being the mastermind of the plans and Albert's role in MI6 is usually surrounding in taking missions that are useful for William's goals. There are limited interactions between just Louis and Albert, but they also are presented to care deeply for each other.

2)William and Louis - these two are related and have a history before they met Albert. Louis' heart condition causes William to be protective of him (kind of like how Adam Whiteley is with Sam) and sometimes this can seem a bit too overprotective. Louis seems to have a strong desire to prove himself useful to William, and views William as a reason for him to live (and eventually to go on after William's 'd3ath'). Sometimes it can feel like because he's so wrapped up in William's goals and is quite reliant on him at times, Louis hasn't had the chance to fully develop his own identity and life outside of his brotherhood. William's view of brotherhood is seemingly about protection, but to Louis his brother is his closest person, his world and the only person that makes him feel that his existence is right. This is why his role as Em after the Tower Bridge incident is so important for him as a chance to grow on his own and lead, establishing a new moral code and system for the team. It isn't that William held him back, but that Louis felt so indebted and attached to William that he struggled to find meaning elsewhere. In this way, the strength of his reliance on his brother feels like it restricts him, but his commitment to his brother is also a strength. He sees William's compassion and other positive qualities in a way not many others do (besides the Moriarty group and the Holmes') once he's revealed as the Lord of Crime, and it is that insight that leads him to do whatever he can to save his brother, so much as wanting to convince his supposed rival to try and help him. Louis acknowledges his own selfishness in going against William's plans, but this is also out of such deep compassion for his brother that it shows us how he's such a committed and caring person. Louis wants to help William just as much as William wants to protect Louis.

[the more I talk about Louis the more i realise just how interesting he is to talk about thematically especially his dynamic with William... I've got to make more character centred posts]

So I feel that these differing variations on the way brotherhood is presented really adds to the characterisation of the people on the story and to the world itself. To me it's meant to feel somewhat realistic (despite its fictional characters) because of its historical basis on the empire and 19th century London and its social structure - the differing ways brotherhood is defined can add to this. It's such a central theme that I don't feel enough is said about (and general sibling representation is also big in the series but brotherhood in particular stands out due to the majority male character base, especially within the main characters).

[I told you this was a long one, this may have been in the drafts for around a month that I kept adding to so it's been a while in the making. Since my exams are over I have a lot more I want to do here, including casual reviews and highlight of a few trips i'm going on alongside this style of post so hopefully those will be enjoyable too! Anyways I hope this post was interesting and maybe well written it was hard to read all this over after a month and many exams]

[dr-futbol-blog]

Would the real Dr McKay please stand up?

While this is a record of John Sheppard's bisexuality, let's start from the beginning.

Rodney McKay was introduced in the main series, Stargate SG-1. In it, he is presented as a sexist and abrasive character who is later revealed to harbour a hurt little boy within. He claims to have a predilection for "dumb blondes", which is to say, beautiful and brilliant women way out of his league.

He aggressively, blatantly hits on Samantha Carter. In fact, his behaviour is so over-the-top that one has to wonder whether it is (consciously or subconsciously) designed for failure. Hitting on women you know will turn you down, in a way that will inevitably lead to them turning you down, both protects one's ego and keeps one from winding up in an actual relationship with an actual human being.

That is, for reasons of inadequacy, poor self-esteem, repressed homosexuality, pick your poison, he a) approaches only women he knows he can't get, b) approaches them in a sleazy over-the-top way that will inevitably lead to him being turned down and c) he does all of this extremely publicly, not hiding and in fact encouraging his reputation was a womanizer. A+, very heterosexual.

Only, this is lampshaded in the two-part 8th season finale of SG-1, Moebius.

In the episode we are once more presented with an alternative reality. This is a divergence from our reality whose main difference is that the stargate was never found at Giza. In the episode, we follow Samantha Carter and Daniel Jackson who are essentially themselves but whose lives took different courses. That is, their characters were not changed, only their circumstances. And it follows that the same is true for all the other characters.

In this reality, Dr. Rodney McKay is the lead scientist at Cheyenne Mountain. The fact that he is similar to the Rodney in our reality is lampshaded later in the second part of the episode where McKay tells Gen. Hammond: "It's a ship that goes through the Gate -- it's a Gateship!"

This parallels his words in Rising (S01E01) where he says the same thing to Dr. Weir, defending his naming of the shuttle as Gateship: "It's a ship; it goes through the Gate, I, I… Fine -- Puddle Jumper, you are clear for launch."

We are meant to understand that this is the same Rodney, only that circumstances have altered the course of his life.

Why is this important?

His introduction in the episode is curious.

At the end of Moebius, we are shown a rare kiss between Carter and O'Neill who never get to consummate their unresolved sexual tension in the main text of the show. The kiss was preceded by Carter lying to O'Neill about his attraction to Daniel Jackson instead of O'Neill. Earlier on, O'Neill had wondered whether Carter and Jackson were in fact a couple -- which they both vehemently denied. Before their kiss, O'Neill tells Carter: "It's just, you know… first impressions, I kinda thought he was… Never mind."

He waves his hand in the universal sign for "bent".

Jack O'Neill thought that Daniel Jackson was, upon first impression, a gay man. Even though he met him along with an attractive woman, the first impression one got from Daniel Jackson was that he was a gay man. This has nothing to do with what Daniel's orientation is or was, in this reality or the other, just that in this one he gave off the vibe that he was gay. At least on initial meeting, an impression that might later be rectified, Daniel Jackson came off as a gay man.

So why does this matter?

When we first meet Dr. Rodney McKay, it is also the first time he meets Daniel Jackson. He gets, that is, a first impression of Daniel. Rodney barges in with the very suggestive: "Don't touch anything, please! Leave the touching to the experts."

McKay looks at Daniel from top to bottom, openly checking him out, gaze lingering on Daniel's dick. After this, he looks at Major Davis. To confirm the reading of his gaydar? To check whether the major noticed him checking the guy out? Acknowledging the hot officer in his personal space? Who can tell!

Turning his attention to Sam, McKay subsequently completely ignores Jackson to the point of rudeness.

Note that Major Davis is, in this reality, sporting the gayest moustache that ever moustached. He is ripped straight out of a Village People album cover. If we are meant to think that Daniel in this reality comes across as gay, what are we supposed to think regarding the man with the gayest moustache this side of Tom of Finland?

After McKay checks out Daniel, whose first impression is that he is a gay man, Rodney quickly glances at major Davis and then his entire demeanor changes. He is very curt towards the major. They continue their exchange, Rodney antagonistic toward Jackson and now aggressively hitting on Sam, even going so far as to obviously and crassly grab her ass:

McKay: I'm sorry -- what are your areas of expertise? Carter: Astrophysics. Jackson: Archaeology. McKay: And I would listen to you because…? Carter: We're on the tape. McKay: Now you -- you I would listen to if you were reading the phone book. You see, I love this whole sexy librarian thing. Look, why don't I take you to lunch, get you up to speed.

On his initial meeting with Daniel Jackson, the man who comes off as gay, Dr. Rodney McKay reflexively checks him out and then starts immediately performing the most odious kind of heteronormative masculinity

We get another lampshade in his line to Carter: "I hear it's lemon chicken today -- it's my favourite, hmm?" This Rodney claims openly to like Lemon chicken which he is allergic to in our reality. There is something else he is performing here that he is allergic to in our reality: his preference for chicks.

In the Pegasus galaxy, McKay is either completely oblivious to the advances of women ("You don't know what to do?"), engages in performative over-the-top womanizing ("I disgust myself sometimes"), or uses women to perform masculinity and to make himself seem more desirable to other men ("They think I'm a shut-in. So I was thinking that if I was to, say, show up with a woman -- a beautiful woman -- that they would maybe not think that I was like, a complete loser"). He expresses jealousy when other men receive attention from beautiful women while seeming to have no interest whatsoever in these women themselves. Hot women are objects to him, he barely sees them as people (literally, in The Game).

This is textbook. This is a closet so deep in Narnia the audience gets second-hand frost bite.

Note that while in Moebius we are shown a superficial difference between this Rodney and our Rodney with regards to lemon, later on we are shown that they are essentially the same. The Rodney McKay of this reality is the epitome of a closeted gay man performing over-the-top heterosexuality in a military environment where, although as a Canadian civilian contractor he is not himself in jeopardy, he has to protect the identities of gay soldiers, like major Davis, whose careers are on the line.

Oblivious or not, Rodney McKay does not like women. He does not respect them, sees little use for them, can barely tolerate to have them around. This much seems to be true of him in every reality.

[alicent-vi-britannia]

Talking a bit about Kallen's story arc

I came across a comment on Reddit not long ago (in case you don't know, it's a nest of C.C. fanboys) saying that Kallen was overrated since she had nothing beyond her relationship with Lelouch and the episode with her mom. It is not the first time I have read an opinion like that, although, fortunately, it is not very frequent.

Actually, Kallen does have a character arc. It's just that it's developed in a very subtle way. And by that I mean that I didn't realize what it was the second or third time I watched Code Geass, but much later. This is because the series doesn't tell you directly, they show it to you. I understood it better after reading Kallen's poem. Everything she says there is in the series. But they don't explain it to you with words like in the poem. The same thing happened to me with Euphemia's little story arc (yes, she has one of her own).

At its core, Kallen's story arc is about transitioning from a reckless and immature girl who finds herself adrift to a selfless heroine with a purpose that transcends her. It is a coming-age story in all its definition. In that sense, it is essentially similar to the Lelouch arc as the rebellion brings out the best version of themselves. This is compassion, empathy, altruism. It's not very noticeable because Kallen isn't Machiavellian like Lelouch is, although she is just as pragmatic. One of the best samples you have of Kallen's development is in the penultimate episode of the first season.

In the early episodes, Kallen is deeply concerned with protecting her identity to the point that she does not hesitate to take risky actions that include killing others. But, in this penultimate episode, when the members of the Student Council refuse to obey the Black Knights thinking that they would harm them, Kallen unmasks herself before them to calm them down and ask them to trust them. Kallen prioritized the safety of her friends over her secret. The thing is that she had already done it before. By Zero. Kallen comes out of her Guren to ask Suzaku to let Zero go in episode 18 of the first season. She again places more importance on the safety of her leader than her identity. The difference between the two moments is that she calmly makes the decision to reveal herself in episode 24. That was not her last option as it was in episode 18.

You'd think there wouldn't be any further development for Kallen in season two. But it's not true and, personally and based on Kallen's poem, I like to see her relationship with Lelouch as a temptation for her (temptation in the sense that it can lead her astray). Characters in visual media are often built on two pillars: what they want versus what they need, and up until that point, Kallen hadn't had to choose because the choice was so clear. That is, she had not faced a challenge. By the end, however, she must choose between the boy she loves and doing the right thing, and though Lelouch helps her choose the latter by keeping quiet about his feelings, Kallen decides of her own free will to do the right thing and, by extension, embrace her identity, her values and her brother's dream. Not caring that Lelouch has returned the kiss. Also in this second season Kallen is consolidated as the best Knightmare pilot of the series. Her most badass moments are here (and there are still people who have the nerve to say that she was relegated to the background; sorry, man, you're talking about C.C.).

I would like in the remote future to both write an individual analysis of Kallen as well as an analysis of her (misconstrued) relationship with Lelouch. On my Code Geass Facebook page I do it in Spanish and I use this space to address the international community. Now I am watching Code Geass again with a good channel of reactions on YouTube (since 2020 I have imposed the tradition of watching Code Geass once a year and with them I will fulfill my purpose for this 2023...) . I will see what new things I will discover now. I discovered what I have just told you on my return visit last year.

Fans only complain about her fanservice, spit on her relationship with Lelouch, accuse her of things she never did, and judge her harshly. They never take Kallen seriously. I want to be the first to do it, if no one with good analytical skills does it.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Vitamin C Day

It’s good for your immune system, it’s good for your mental health, it’s even good for your skin. Don’t neglect this crucial vitamin on Vitamin C Day.

Vitamin C. We all hear about it, how good it is for us, how it will help us fight off that cold. But how much do we really know about this mystery substance, and just how much can it do to help our bodies? Take advantage of Vitamin C day to learn something new and boost your health, to boot!

Learn about National Vitamin C Day

National Vitamin C Day has been created so that we can appreciate and learn all about the different ways that vitamin C can benefit our health. Vitamin C is also referred to as ascorbate and ascorbic acid. It is found in a number of different foods, as well as being sold as a dietary supplement. It is an essential nutrient in terms of producing a number of neurotransmitters and repairing tissues. It was discovered back in 1912. Sixteen years later, it was isolated. Then, in 1933, it became the first vitamin to be produced chemically.

Vitamin C is widely recognized for helping to keep colds at bay. However, there are plenty of other benefits that are associated with this powerful vitamin! You could reduce your blood pressure by upping your vitamin C uptake, for example. Vitamin C is also beneficial in terms of helping to keep your skin healthy. This is because it protects it from the oxidative damage that is caused as a result of exposure on a daily basis to pollution, heat, and light. This has seen the population of vitamin C products increase considerably.

There are plenty of natural ways to add some more vitamin C to your diet. You don’t need to opt for vitamin C supplements, although many people do. Some of the fruits that have the highest sources of vitamin C include cantaloupe melon, citrus juices and fruits, kiwi fruit, pineapple, papaya, mango, and the various berries, such as cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. There are a number of vegetables that are rich in vitamin C as well, including cauliflower and broccoli.

The History of National Vitamin C Day

As a substance occurring naturally in countless different fruits and vegetables, vitamin C has likely been around as long as the earth itself. Peoples from all over the world have long been aware of the extensive health benefits of consuming foods high in vitamin C as well as the risks associated with not consuming enough of it, one of which is scurvy. It was not until the late 19th century that scurvy was described in detail by British physician Sir Thomas Barlow, that people began to understand just how much this substance can do for our health.

However, scurvy was known for thousands of years prior, with even the great Hippocrates himself writing about it. In the 18th century, it is assumed that the disease killed more British sailors than any enemies they had and was one of the greatest factors limiting maritime travel over the ages. Today, very few people suffer from scurvy and Vitamin C is considered on of the most important nutrients food can and should provide.

How to celebrate National Vitamin C Day

The best way to celebrate National Vitamin C Day is to stay healthy, and this very vitamin can help you with that! Vitamin C is necessary for good health and general well-being, but the unfortunate truth is that not everyone has the time to pay close attention to what they eat and just how many grams or milligrams of a certain substance they consume daily.

The drastic rise in popularity of microwavable dishes has caused people’s diets to become much less healthy over the recent years, as has the fact that many people are working longer hours than ever and don’t have the time or the energy to cook themselves and their families a well-balanced meal every day.

Luckily, there are a few ways to make sure you’re getting enough Vitamin C, no matter your lifestyle. One is to simply squeeze lemon juice into the water you drink. Half a lemon contains almost 100% of your daily vitamin C requirement, so just a squeeze here and there will be more than enough!

The same goes for—alcoholic drinks. If you’re going to have a few Mojitos this Friday anyway, why not use fresh lime juice? And have we mentioned Vitamin C helps prevent hangovers as well?

But it doesn’t stop there—as it tuns out, you can put lemon juice into pretty much everything for your daily dose of Vitamin C as well as a deliciously tangy zing. As opposed to some other “healthy” foods which, let’s face it, can be downright nasty (looking at you, kale!), lemon juice makes almost everything you put it on and in taste better.

Salad dressings. Grilled meats. The list goes on. And if for whatever reason you’re not a fan of lemons, don’t worry! Many fruits and vegetables contain enough Vitamin C to keep you healthy, including tomatoes, strawberries, spinach, peppers, and many more. Take advantage of National Vitamin C Day to do your body a favor!

Vitamin C cannot only be consumed, but it can be applied to your skin as well. As mentioned earlier, Vitamin C is great for skin health. Why not make your own Vitamin C serum? It is not as difficult as you may think! All you need is some aloe vera gel, filtered water, and vitamin C powder. You may decide to add some other vitamins as well, such as vitamin E oil. There are some variations of how to make vitamin C serums and facemasks online, but the ingredient list is a simple one, yet the benefits are vast!

Of course, you can also buy some vitamin C skin products, rather than making your own. If you are going to use a vitamin C serum, whether homemade or not, we recommend washing your face first and using a toner. You can then apply a small amount of the serum. The serum is probably going to be quite thick. Do this before you go to bed, and add another layer of moisturizer. In the morning, you should wash your face thoroughly before any makeup is applied. Because of sun exposure, vitamin C serum is not designed to be used on a daily basis.

Make sure you spread the word about National Vitamin C Day and the benefits associated with this nutrient so that you can help others experience the benefits of it!

Source

[dailycharacteroption]

Menhir Guardian (Monk Archetype)

(art by mohannowin on DeviantArt)

Asceticism comes in many forms, and many philosophies. As such, the search for balance is not just a pursuit of the orderly-minded, but of those that seek a balance between order and chaos as well, and particularly with nature.

And so we come to what is essentially a hybrid archetype for monk that introduces elements of the shifter, much in the same way that style shifters introduce monk techniques to the shifter.

In any case, there’s plenty of stories about martial artists that act as guardians for sacred spaces of nature. After all, natural beauty is considered very important to many cultures, and to many ascetics as well, if only because such serenity is the perfect backdrop to internal and external reflection.

These monks, these menhir guardians, work together with druids to guard such sites, seeking their own enlightenment by living in harmony with nature, but also developing a serene but vicious style geared towards preventing interlopers from progressing any further towards the sacred sites they guard.

Which of course begs the question of why they might become adventurers. Some might be ordered on special long-term missions away from their post, or perhaps they go on a pilgrimage to other sites to learn the lessons each offers, or perhaps they failed to protect their old site and now seek atonement or a new location to guard.

No matter the cause, we’ll see some elements of wild power in these otherwise ascetic warriors.

The moral philosophy of these monks skews closer to neutrality, allowing for good and evil, or even typical lawfulness, but chaos still remains beyond them. Furthermore, their proficiencies skew closer to druid weapons than monk weapons.

However, most prefer to use the blessings of the primal magics and grow claws or other natural weapons like a shifter, which also grow in power and lethality in the same way.

Naturally, they can use their claws and druidic weapons with their own version of their flurry.

Rather than stunning foes, these monks instead focus on a strike with their claws that drives away interlopers and prevents their return. At first, this merely knocks foes away, but later, it also inhibits their movement to keep them from returning or slipping past the monk, and at fully mastery, actually compels the foe to stay away.

A fairly simple archetype, but one that does it’s job well. The claws more or less function the same as the unarmed strikes do save for the damage type, but the ability to knock back foes is useful for positioning (not to mention debuffing their speed and keeping them away, so it works nicely for driving foes away from vital locations getting them into position to be targeted by allies.

These monks represent a devotion to a location or perhaps the people living or reflecting there that goes beyond a loyalty to those of the same philosophy as themselves, so it’s a good idea to explore why that is. What sort of formative experiences led to them developing such strong feelings on the matter?

Overlooked as it was during the Mage War of the last age, Naban Valley is considered a sacred space to the druidic order of the Closed Eye, which welcomes even those without the talent for druidism into their midst, training them into equally devout guardians.

Not every centaur is nomadic. Indeed, some are quite content to remain in one place. Such is the case with Pelgin of the Standing Stone, who watches over the menhir sacred to his people between their yearly visits. He even picked up a few tricks to help defend it against interlopers.

They say that Shipeater Atoll is settled by a clan of undines that are all too happy to steer ships away from the treacherous waters and hidden reefs that give it its name. While sociable enough, they are somewhat shy around visitors and prefer to keep their sacred sites safe. So, plenty of their youths learn to be guardians, able to shift their form to grow mighty shark jaws or powerful tentacles to enhance their fighting prowess.

[dragonflight203]

Mass effect replay thoughts, continued. This time running through the Citadel quests with Tali and Liara:

-Khalisa repeatedly emphasizes that spectres work for the Citadel.

This is a recurrent theme throughout ME1: Is Shepard loyal to the Citadel or the Alliance? Do they consider themselves a spectre first or Alliance? Can they be reconciled?

I noticed last playthrough that when introducing themself, spectre is usually the paragon option. Alliance is neutral or renegade.

This is another theme that, as far as I can recall, is dropped in ME2 or ME3. Again, spectres are very downplayed in those games and Shepard is essentially just treated as an Alliance soldier.

Shame - it would have been interesting to see what would have happened if Shepard was forced to pick. What if they had uncovered Alliance behavior that was a threat to the galaxy that the Alliance wanted to keep hidden or had covered up? Something that forced them to choose between the Council (the galaxy) and humanity?

(Well, something more immediately dangerous than the nuke Hackett asks them to retrieve in ME1...)

-In the interview, if you go neutral when asked about handing the Normandy over to the Citadel you get asked about humanity and the respect of the galaxy.

If you go paragon and state that the Normandy's crew is Alliance, this is skipped and the interview goes straight to asking about Saren.

-I enjoy how much more flexible ME1 is about quests than the later games. This is the first time I'm starting the quest about keepers by speaking to Jahleed. Although I'll probably regret it at the end when I have to run all over the Citadel a second time to actually scan the keepers.

-The Bhatia quest is rather sad. The whole mess could have been avoided if the military had actually asked Nirali if they could keep Samesh's body for research. He agrees!

I do feel the research is important, but essentially stealing her body like that was not right. If he had pushed back I would have made sure he received it. The Alliance isn't going to get recruits if they don't respect their dead.

Sidenote: The first game acknowledges that the Alliance is flawed.

-Continue to love Pallin. Paraphrased: "Knew one of your kind would make spectre. Hope you're better than the one they're sending you after."

"I'll do everything I can to stop Saren."

"Hmph, that's what worries me."

Man is consistent. I will presume he and Castis are BFFs moving forward.

-Udina's unhappiness with Shepard is reasonable. Humanity is being judged by Shepard, and Shepard is a total wild card. Paragon or Renegade, they'll do what they want to do and to hell with the consequences. That's rather hard on Udina, whose job it is to clean up and smooth ruffled feathers after those consequences.

-I like Din Korlak. He doesn't toe the party line; he's a strong advocate for the Volus and won't settle for them being treated as anything less than equal. He doesn't just want Volus to get theirs, he wants the Volus to have a say in who gets what.

He and Udina are actually very alike - outspoken, demanding, pragmatic. They also both betray the galaxy to Cerberus in ME3! Hmm, not sure if that says something about them or about Bioware.

-Din never mentions the Volus relationship with the Turians directly. The closest is something along the lines of trading services for protection.

Interesting, given that as a diplomat he must coordinate with the Turians frequently. As grumpy as he is, he's still presenting Volus in the most positive light possible to Shepard - and being dependents ain't part of that.

-I appreciate Calyn's continued interruptions that the Volus are actually very favored by the Council. How are the Elcor treated by comparison?

-How did the Volus and Elcor wind up in the same embassy anyway? The Volus have been around for a long time. The Elcor are very new. If they didn't ask for this, no wonder they're huffy that humanity has their own, separate embassy.

-As far as I can tell, the Consort is supposed to be a geisha.

-Nelyna, paraphrased: "I have your name and you'll be contacted. Is there anything else?" Excellent customer service voice. You can tell she gets a lot of mistreatment. Hope the position of greeter is rotated and she doesn't always have to deal with this.

-The meeting with the Consort is very strange. She tells you not to come any closer. She then gets up in your personal space and starts touching you. She's supposed to be an amazing woman that makes people feel great, but she's all business the whole meeting while she presses her body against yours. Then she tells you to leave and not come back until everything is sorted with Septimus. What was Bioware going for?

-Why does she even ask Shepard to do this? Are all the other spectres absent from the CItadel? Do none of her clients have a good relationship with Septimus? Did she want it to be someone who wasn't a client? The last would be my guess, but the whole thing is very strange.

-After the Rachni wars, the Krogan were granted several colonies. Making a note of this as I often see it discussed about the genophage. From the start of ME1, the Krogan did get new worlds.

-Shepard to Avina: The Krogan stopped the Rachni. The Turians stopped the Krogan. Who will stop the Turians?

Avina: Not in my programming, the Turians are on the Council and not a threat.

Implicit answer by the game: Humans will stop the Turians.

Another thread that got dropped in future games, but ME1 does position Humanity to potentially go up against Turians in the future. Can't say I'm sad that didn't happen, but it would have been interesting. Maybe as an outcome of bad choices.

-Love Helena Blake. Very pragmatic woman. Red sand and slavery are bad. You, spectre, take out my rivals doing these bad things. Then I'll take over their gangs, clean them up, and raise them to greatness!

Btw this is totally just a conversation and you can't charge me for anything.

And she's not wrong... The gangs do need to be stopped. I look forward to talking her into becoming a social worker again.

-Barla Von, paraphrased: "The tale of how you survived the great tragedy on Akuze is truly remarkable. I am amazed each time I hear it."

How often is the tale of Akuze told??? Why is Barla Von, an information broker and financial advisor, repeatedly listening to it???

-Most other species tend to refer to Shepard as human. Volus call them Earth-clan. Nice touch.

-ME1 spends a lot of time building the shadow broker up. If ME3 had spent as much time building up to the endings the backlash would not have been so bad. The endings would have felt like a natural outcome of the game.

-There are dozens of species in the wards. 80% of species acknowledge the Council as an authority. Only the most powerful species have embassies.

ME1 makes it very clear that the galaxy has a ton of intelligent species, even if only a fraction are shown. Not sure if that's something Bioware will utilize in the future or not.

-If the Keepers are interfered with, there are harsh penalties. Like rehabilitation. What does that constitute that it's considered a harsh penalty? Why do I strongly suspect it's a polite euphemism?

-That C-Sec Officer is very casual about dropping slurs (jelly) when speaking to Shepard about the Hanar preaching on the presidium. All while gunning for a promotion. The Presidium is shiny, but Bioware's not pretending it's a utopia.

-The Alliance is so very blunt about their goals. Admiral Kahoku, paraphrased: "It's about time the Alliance got one of our own in with the spectres. We need people like you to deal with our... problems."

Yes, Kahoku, that's the purpose of the spectres. To advance their own interests. That's why every species gets at least one member with a "I can do what I want" card. I am sure the Council was thrilled to receive this report as well.

-Tali and Liara continue to be a contrast I was not expecting. About the Council meeting area, paraphrased:

Liara: They make decisions that affect trillions of lives. Awe-inspiring!

Tali: We asked them to wipe out the geth 300 years ago. Maybe if the had listened we wouldn't be here.

Like, damn. Something similar occurred around the Krogan statue that I did not write down.

Liara's out here bright eyed and bushy tailed and Tali's just dropping truth bomb after truth bomb. I'm getting whip lash.

Edit: Fix spellings

[ladyhearthkeeper]

A few thoughts on anger from the perspective of a gentle soul

You are allowed to feel anger.

I know that many women (myself included) don’t want to let themselves feel angry. We want to be gentle, soft... We don’t want to be angry women.

But we have the right to feel anger (for whatever reason there is) or frustration.

What is important is what to do with that anger.

I know I barely have to remind you of this : do not splatter other people with that anger. Especially not those who are under your care.  If you’re angry and feel like it’s spilling over. Ask someone else to take care of your kids and step away until you feel better. If you cannot. Find a technique to keep the anger at bay (I will deal with this emotion later for ex.) until you are alone. Don’t be verbally or physically abusive with others, especially your family Some people don’t even realize it (especially in the case of verbal abuse) so be very careful. If you’re angry with someone : wait until you’re calm and rational (no one is very rational while angry) to resolve the issue with them.

I remember reading in a long forgotten self help book to not ‘scramble your emotions’. I absolutely love this phrase. Because this is sometimes what happens : we feel a whole range of emotions that are interconnected. We can learn to identify them and separate them and thus even releasing some of them. For that, you need some quiet alone time here and there. Time you do not share with social media or other means of avoiding being alone.

What to do with these emotions? Especially anger? Well.. You need to take it out. Whether you write, sing, paint... Do sports. You need an activity to release theses feelings and emotions. Don’t deny this emotion, don’t push it away (unless it’s just keeping it away until you have the time to deal with it) : face it, feel it, and then release it. Spending time in nature heps to find our balance again. Soft music, soft fiction... A bating cage. A mountain to climb... A long long run or walk. Whatever helps you to release it.

Understanding why you are angry and what triggers this state can help. Sometimes it’s a combination of mental but also environmental factors such as the company you keep, the media you consume, the food you consume etc. I know that I’m more prone to irritation and even anger when I overeat sugar or have more caffeine than I can handle.

If you are suspicious that it’s hormone related : make a note in your calender every time you feel very angry for no real direct reason. You might be surprise to see a patter that fits your hormonal cycle and could be related to PMS or PMDD. Realizing that can be a release in itself. Once you know, you can even find a proper strategy to deal with this.  A friend who had terrible bouts of rage before she got her period was advised to cut back on caffeine after mid-cycle, do more exercise and avoid certain triggers. You can find what works for you if this is what makes you angry.

Sometimes anger is also a result of not maintaining your boundaries and not speaking up. Know that you can build boundaries and say what you feel without being verbally abusive. Just because you are doing so doesn’t mean you’re an angry person or bad. You are allowed to protect yourself. So observe your anger and see where it comes from. If this is the reason, learn to speak up and put up boundaries before you become angry and feel like you are not being respected or heard.

Examining your anger like a wild creature can enable you to understand why you’re angry. If it’s because the situation you’re in : feel your emotion and then focus on getting out of this situation.

Anger prevention is also so essential to a happy community. The world is a very angry place and we have to protect ourselves from getting swept up by this communal rage. Social media is an especially good loudspeaker for this anger, but also movies, series, books, music etc. We can also make the choice not to feed this communal anger by refraining from using the internet for angry rants. Instead, we can write in a piece of paper and burn it, in a journal, or even confide in a trusted friend (who is not the source of our anger - wait until you are calm to resolve your issues) etc. Find what works for you. But let’s keep this world a gentle place for everyone.

Having said that, I know that some issue need anger.  Sometimes, especially when someone else is getting hurt : anger is the trigger that makes us react.  But she should be careful about we behave, even if our anger is justified. Anger can make us realize that something is wrong but it shouldn’t be what drives our action or else we’ll be lost.

Any thoughts or advice to share with us? What do you do when you’re angry? How do you notice it? How do you get rid of this emotion?

[susellesie]

Something really important in Ep.1 of TLOU is something I didn't even realize is what the crew behind the episode talks about at the end, where they discuss a parallel between Ellie and Sarah that we don't get in the book.

When Joel kills the old lady, Sarah is horrified and cries. When Joel kills the guard, Ellie is...

Well, Ellie doesn't seem to mind. Seems to take some enjoyment in it, even.

And the implication of this for the rest of the story, something we never saw in the video game, is very interesting- from the perspective of Joel and Ellie's relationship.

Ashley Johnson's Ellie is neutral to death. She doesn't show much reaction to death at all- aside from a throw-away line when Tess and Joel kill the guards holding them up: "Oh…oh fuck. I thought we were just going to... to hold them up or something."

She wants to help Joel kill to accomplish their goal; She brutally kills David out of fear. Johnson's Ellie is naive, brash, and less mature. She's a 14 year old in an apocalypse, who did not have guidance.

Bella Ramsey's Ellie has grown up in an apocalypse, just like video game Ellie, but is darker. She revels in Joel's murder of the guard. She desires that kind of protection.

Why does this matter, you ask?

Ashley Johnson's Ellie believes that if she can get to the hospital and obtain the cure, she can save thousands of lives, but also make up for Riley's death, which caused her to get bit and discover her immunity. Video game Ellie wants to find the cure.

Bella Ramsey's Ellie seems indifferent to the whole thing. Seems much more interested in insuring her own survival.

So ultimately, you ask the question: Will Ramsey's Ellie feel the same as Johnson's? Will she prefer to sacrifice herself for the nebulous greater good? Or do her morals reflect themselves in the eyes locked on the face Joel essentially caved in to protect her?

Theory: Ellie doesn't care for the cure. She might decide later on in the series that she does, or have a moment where she decides it's best after a flashback to Riley, but as she is right now: I don't think she'd choose the cure over herself.

[cupcait]

dump of old short headcanons i felt were important to save.

caitlyn can play the violin and piano 😊

caitlyn’s dad gave her his hat and later on, when she became sheriff, tweaked it to add the little magnifying parts along with… basically everything else she uses 🥺👉🏻👈🏻

i was thinking about this and at first i wasn’t too sure what i thought but, honestly, the more i think about it the more i laugh at the thought of caitlyn inviting pretty girls over... flirting and getting so confident up until they’re actually in her room and she feels completely vulnerable... just to start overthinking it, having gay panic, and then just parting ways without doing anything. cassandra sees and notices caitlyn’s embarrassed look and is like 🤨. probably happened like, twice before she gave up. it’d also make me think she didn’t fully mean the “stray” bc of vi’s appearance (i mean, definitely a little at least fdsjfs.) she’s just trying to be an embarrassing mom bc she’s like “rlly cait. u are bringing home a girl again.” and the hesitation before she said “your.... friend.” oh she knewwww. i think it's cute too because it's like. vi and cait having the completely vulnerable moment in bed. just the intimacy of talking, opening up to each other. the soft touches. that being the first time she actually felt comfortable enough with someone to reveal parts of themselves even deeper than something sexual.

i think the only reason caitlyn still lives with her parents (considering she butts heads w/ her mom so much/values independence rather than feeling entitled to things) is because she doesn’t want to use their money to get her own place. the moment she got her job, she started putting her own money into hidden savings in preparation for moving out. caitlyn hates things being done for her (even something as small as cooking) unless it’s someone acting out of love - not because they feel like they have to. moving out would have been something she pursued more, but after the attack on the council, what happened to her mother, caitlyn struggles with the idea of leaving her father alone. even being alone herself is hard, knowing jinx can get in so easily. she blames herself for what happened to cassandra, for not being there to actually help. vi holds their own guilt, as well. what started as sneaking in to innocently keep each other company turns into vi essentially moving in. chou kiramman doesn’t mind, though. he takes a liking to vi very quickly.

thinking abt how we didn’t get a canon name for cait’s dad or... really a lot of info on the kirammans so. i’m thinking, at least for my cait.. kiramman family’s position on the council is passed from mother to daughter. men marry into the kiramman family.  her dad was an inventor in ionia who came to piltover in hopes of having better success. he met cassandra & they ended up falling in love, getting married, and he took the kiramman last name. cassandra, wanting caitlyn to take up the same position that had been passed down for as long as their family tree had known, intended to pass the torch on the moment caitlyn married as many powerful houses would. of course, she never had any interest in relationships (or men in general) and was more focused on pursuing the ideals grayson and her father had instilled into her. i remember reading somewhere there was consideration of an arranged marriage subplot for cait in arcane, and while i know the trope is kinda overdone, i do think it would be something cassandra wouldn’t have fully considered, maybe only something that crossed her mind once, but other members of the kiramman family would suggest.  caitlyn understands cassandra’s perspective on a lot of things, and loves her mother dearly, but fully resents what’s expected of her. 

honestly think it’s so cute that caitlyn is basically the perfect mix of her parent’s personalities. her mom is stubborn, sassy and bullheaded but her dad is so sweet and caring . they’re both so protective and just want the best for her ... but she argues so much with her mom because their stubbornness makes them clash so much fjdlksf

was talking about this with @vilence earlier and will probably make a full hc on it later, but i was thinking about cait becoming sheriff and... i think at the end of s1, if it was offered to her, she’d consider refusing it at first. it sounds ridiculous to everyone around her, but she wants to move up gradually, something to earn with experience and continued hard work. not something she earns from one case, even if it was as large as silco’s operation & marcus’ corruption. she certainly wants the position, absolutely deserves it, but i think there would be some hesitance before outright accepting it if it came so soon after the attack on the council. for a while, she’d even blame herself for the lives lost, thinking she had ruined her chance to stop jinx by getting knocked out. even more so if her mom was lost, which i’m still a bit up in the air on for my main verse. (update 2024: this is probably going to be the case in season 2. i am fearful.)

also lil headcanon that caitlyn needs to wear reading glasses and they’re cute lil round gold frames :3

[drpurnimatiwari]

5 Essential Women's Health Tips Every Woman Should Know

Women’s health is an important topic that needs to be discussed more often. Women need to take care of themselves and their bodies to lead a healthy lifestyle. Here are 5 essential women's health tips every woman should know:

1) Get Regular Check-Ups: It is important for all women, regardless of age, to get regular check-ups at the doctor or female gynaecologist in Bhopal. These check-ups can help detect any issues early on before they become serious problems down the road.

2) Exercise Regularly: Exercise helps keep your body strong and fit while also reducing stress levels which can have a positive impact on overall mental well-being as well as physical health. Aim for 30 minutes per day of moderate exercise 3 times per week if possible!

3) Eat Healthy Foods & Limit Alcohol Intake: Eating healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins will provide you with essential nutrients needed for optimal functioning while limiting alcohol intake will reduce your risk of developing certain diseases like cancer or liver disease over time. Additionally, cutting back on unhealthy snacks like chips and candy bars can help maintain a healthier weight too!

4) Practice Safe Sex: Practicing safe sex is very important when it comes to protecting yourself from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Always use protection during sexual intercourse such as condoms or dental dams – this way you won’t have anything unexpected come up later down the line.

Also Read: Laparoscopic Surgeon in Bhopal

5) Take Care Of Your Mental Health Too: Taking care of one’s mental health just as much (if not more!) than physical wellness is key to leading an overall balanced life. This includes getting enough sleep each night, managing stress through activities like yoga/meditation/journaling, etc., seeking professional help if needed, talking openly about feelings with friends/family members, etc. Taking these steps towards better self-care now will pay off big time later! 

Following these five simple tips should ensure that all women stay happy and healthy throughout their lives!

[the-firebird69]

It's a huge bunch of people out here who are absolute assholes to our son massive and he gives out license plates to us all the time if people are driving weird like the Dodge that just drove by and he's a prick I mean he's going so slow and being such a dick he threatened for teeny stuff all day long and say it's huge and it's not and they're losing and can't do anything about it and they're going down kicking and screaming and ripping and pulling so we have to become more aware it's on with these people they're losers.

Another thing I noticed is hardly any work being done around here and they all pride themselves for being workers and such when they have not done any work on their homes or a friend's homes or anything like that and even the max they're sitting around and they declare they're incapable of doing it because of injury or old age really what they're doing is sitting here and letting things run on purpose and it doesn't help them and they're stupid and they don't have cover from clones and they're not working very much it is a very lame team. What do you say this morning is had some effect on the max and it will on the moloch is their feet is the same. And we hope this creates some sort of activity. And we think it will because he said the Giants moved it and they're arguing with Mac to say that it's them that they didn't do it and it's a trait of morlock and they shouldn't be arguing it but they do and Mac if is on the ropes already saying well I didn't mean for it to do that and they're a whole bunch of things that are wrong with it mostly that he would be in there and be a sacrifice and that's the parallel. There's no real place in our son and daughter are supposed to be stuck and they kept trying to make when they fight over it. It is a number of people that need attitude correction and this neighbor is one of them with his I'm trying for something in my vehicle everyday by the way our son goes by and we have to stop him from doing that and it's also a matter of power if we can do it and they say it's true. So we are up to stuff today but basically some major announcements were made some major finds by our son and daughter and these things are hugely important and they will make a vast difference in how he's treated they've been saying it's him because he's a Giants and all the stuff and his parents are just trying to keep him alive and tried everything and I'll tell you what this a bunch of babies walking around who are mentally ill be considered too many things they tried on them and they didn't have us to make it safe and his mom flushed stuff out so he turned out pretty good this is what's wrong with the growth I'm stunted by medicines and they're using power too and she said exercise this is but it's better because it protects you. So you should stop complaining and said he can't get big until later and it's not time yet. So we're working on some things we have a few things going one of them is to point out that our son has blue suede shoes on they're very very light blue and persuade and people should make a note of it doesn't seem right and it's not so we want people to pay attention.

-a few things going on here today we are moving in with huge workforces and we did it yesterday but not very big and we are making headway with the attacks that are on those who are styming travel and moving goods and services and products and other items essentials we have declared war on them and the max have two and other races and usually it's more luck and Tommy f. And they're nuts the bus is coming so he's got to go

Thor Freya

[threeopennames]

HP1C1

For the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (because I'm American so I have the more EXCITING title because philosophers are clearly terrible) we get a point of view story from the nasty old Uncle's life. We are essentially told that the Dursley's are ugly and unlikable. We're also told a bunch of weirdos in cloaks were running around the streets all day. We're introduced to the totally not a slur word Muggles, and some other associated vaguely supernatural stuff that we're meant to look back on and go 'oh, THAT'S what that was!'

Overall, none of this is bad. From a child's perspective (or maybe just my own childhood memories) you might not retain everything you read and recognize it being reincorporated later. If you do pay attention, you get some tiny little payoffs, and if you don't, you get a payoff when you re-read the story. The author does this a lot throughout, actually, and it's honestly a neat trick that I love seeing every single time. I like being rewarded for paying attention, but also not necessarily left confused if I missed something important. Background fluff that both provides flavor to the text AND alludes to future events lets you double dip in your story, saving on precious word count. I like this.

In addition we get maybe the most normal interpretation of the Dursley's in the whole series (though this might not be true, I'm relying on my memory of the other books here). Vernon, the uncle, is clearly an annoying jerk, but he does his best to try and not upset his wife by bringing up painful family issues. This actually comes up later! Mrs. Dursley, or Petunia, is shown as being very uptight and rude and bears some ill will towards her sister and her sister's family. An adult might expect that to mean there's a reason for it, while a child will probably just think 'oh she's the mean one' and move on. It's a decent bit of setup, and makes us expect a good payoff later. Standard, but cleanly executed stuff.

Not so great are what I can only describe as the baby hating scenes. The son of Vernon and Petunia is Dudley, who is portrayed as a right proper asshole even though he's like, a year old in the story so far. This seems like a weird choice to me. Nobody has any real control over themselves as a baby, you can't hold someone accountable for stuff they did before they even had object permanence. Yet we're being primed here to hate on Dudley, because of things he did as a literal baby. Very strange!

In addition, despite the not very subtle attempts to paint the Dursleys as really awful people, we're shown that Petunia is a devoted and doting mother. Which, is like, a good thing, right? We're shown and mostly told that Vernon loves Petunia, that Petunia loves Vernon, and they both love their son, and even their intense bitter insular nastiness revolves around protecting one another. Like, that's not ideal behavior obviously, but they aren't (yet) irredeemable. Petunia says she had a lovely day, and enjoyed talking with the neighbors, and Vernon hesitates to give her bad news because he cares about his wife's well being. It sounds like a fairly healthy relationship! It's weird to have these warm domestic scenes in between the bitterly cynical ones, because I'm being primed to hate the Dursleys as an example of a horrible family, but also being shown they're still very human and affectionate. It's a weird mix.

Now I spent a bunch of time on the Dursleys, because they obviously dominate the early chapters, but not so much on the two and a half wizards that show up in this chapter. We have Dumbledoor, who shows up to be the lovable slightly crazy Merlin type. We're introduced to McGonagall, the woman, so she's the one who will be crying later. And on the tail end we're introduced to Hagrid, who is effectively one of the two real main characters of the story. Hagrid also cries, to the author's credit.

The actual story isn't very complicated here. We get characterization of the Dursley's, so you can start hating them. The good guy wizards meet up, and drop a baby on their doorstep while also dropping some lore about a bad guy named Voldemort who killed Harry's parents. Sirius Black gets named dropped as the guy who gave Hagrid his motorcycle, Dumbledoor says it's good to scar children, McGonagall says 'yo this family is hella garbo, you sure about this', and since Dumbledoor is an omniscient god he's totally cool with it. We end with probably a very unintentionally funny line about Harry Potter being 'the boy who lived'. Because he's only major positive contribution to the story from here on out is going to be being a warm body. How exciting!

[imgtonki]

Twonky dvd

Twonky dvd software#

Twonky dvd password#

The algorithm used turned out to be a very weak obfuscation function, which consists of a simple transposition operation that could easily be reversed. This was suspicious enough to warrant a closer look.

Twonky dvd password#

Notably, changing the length of our password would result in a change of length of the ‘accesspwd’ value accordingly. It didn’t look like a hash value or properly encrypted string, either. While the ‘accessuser’ option contained our configured username for the admin account, the ‘accesspwd’ option did not represent a cleartext password. In particular, the following requests returned information about the admin user without the requirement of being authenticated. Looking at the web-based management interface, we noticed an RPC endpoint, which allowed us to query various configuration options. And to restrict access to the web-based management interface, it requires to set a username and password for the ‘admin’ account. Twonky Server allows restricting access to the shared media folders by enabling the ‘Multi User’ mode in the settings tab of the web-based management interface. However, when it comes to media files that are rather private, authentication is an essential feature for preventing unauthorized access to your data. Sharing photos and videos on the Internet is a decision everyone has to make for themselves. In combination with another vulnerability ( VulnDB 177851 / CVE-2018-9148), a remote attacker was able to gain admin access to the Twonky Server web interface.Īt the time, it was recommended to protect Twonky Server installation with password authentication to prevent exploitation of the above vulnerabilities. To get an idea about the vulnerability history of the product, we ran a quick query in VulnDB and noticed a few entries, with the latest ones dating back to 2018.Īccording to a blog post by modzero from 2018, one of the later vulnerabilities was a path traversal issue that allows to disclose filenames on the system ( VulnDB 177763 / CVE-2018-7171). for PCs/Macs) or an embedded server for devices such as NAS, routers/gateways and STBs”. According to the vendor, it “ enables sharing media content between connected devices” and ” is available as a standalone server (end user installable, e.g. Twonky Server is a DLNA / UPnP Media Server from Lynx Technology. But it is our research findings that are far more interesting and important. Let’s just say, its conspicuous name played a role.

Twonky dvd software#

There is a long story about how we came to examine software called Twonky Server, but it’s not particularly exciting so we’ll skip right over that.